Barium Swallow

Updated on February 20, 2013
S.D. asks from Arvada, CO
7 answers

Hi, I have an 8 year old who has a barium swallow scheduled for her GERD. She has a severe anxiety of procedures. I am almost positive she will not want to drink the stuff. Does anyone know what they do in the situation where they will not drink it? She has already done the endoscopy for biopsies.

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L.L.

answers from Rochester on

She's eight, not two. Not trying to be harsh, but you shouldn't have a situation where she "won't" drink it. It's either have the procedure done or don't, basically...you might just try to reason with her, that this procedure needs to be done to aide in the treatment of her GERD and if she doesn't do it, she will continue to suffer. :( Sorry your kiddo is going through this!

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L.O.

answers from Detroit on

it is yucky but not awful.. i had to drink a big lot of it.

I got it down.. but the tech stands there cheering you on to keep drinking.

if you are concerned call the lab where the test will be done and ask them how they will handle it if your daughter wont cooperate.

make sure you call when your daughter is not around. but be fairly firm.. do not coddle her.. if she needed an xray..s he would get an xray.. no questioin.. if the dr ordered the test.. she needs it.. so be firm.. but maybe offer a reward for good behaviro..

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A.F.

answers from Fargo on

I am so sorry. We have been through a lot of uncomfortable tests with our kids, and it's so very stressful and so hard to see them in distress.

The only thing you can do is cheer her on through it. Sometimes things are so rough, believe me- I know, but you can get through them with a liberal dose of humor, lots of hugs and encouragement, and a hefty bribe, if need be! :)

I hope it goes better than you expect!

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R.M.

answers from Cumberland on

she has to drink it in order to do the test-it's flavored and tastes pretty good-run with that.

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K.D.

answers from Denver on

My son had this done last year, at 8 yo. There is no reason it can't be mixed with kool-aid. If your doctor won't do that, ask to have it done at Children's. They always flavor it. I disagree with the comments to have an endoscopy. The barium swallow is much less invasive, and an endoscopy is often not necessary. My son, unfortunately, is going in for the endoscopy anyway, partially due to the fact that medicine is not working, so they need to test for a specific diagnosis that his sister has. Part of why an endoscopy is higher risk is because they take biopsies in an endoscopy, plus they are entering your body, so the risk of infection is much higher.

We have great docs over at Children's if you need referrals, but I'm figuring that's probably where you're going since you live so close. We're 25 miles Southwest of there, and it's still our preference for most of these kinds of things. Kind of looking forward to the new satalite hospital to open, although the GI will still only be at the main hospital. Oh, another plus to the swallow study, there is no anesthetic involved, which, no matter how light, the kids don't like the after feeling, and it can be dangerous for them all day, because it throws their balance off, but they don't feel like it. The last time my daughter had it, she was running around tilted at random times. It was funny to watch, but was a bit scary, because she felt just fine, so wasn't slowing down.

This procedure was really fun for my son. They positioned a screen so that he could see the x-rays as they took them. He thought it was really cool. He even got to see after the barium started entering his intestine. He was pretty impressed, overall, and was sorry for his sister that she only got the endoscopy. For her, the doctors were looking for a very specific diagnosis that can only be confirmed by biopsies, so the Barium swallow was not an option. He also said the barium tasted really good with the koolaid. If I recall right, he even got to pick the flavor he wanted. They also have juice, snacks, and popsicles for afterward.

I hope this make sense. I'm sick today, so probably rambled a lot. I hope it all goes well, and you get some good answers.

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B.F.

answers from Dallas on

I have had GERD and have never done a barium swallow. I go to a gastroenterologist and he does an endoscopy. I would canel that test and go to a pediatric gastro doc and let him do an endoscopy. It's under light anesthetic and she won't have to drink a thing.

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K.B.

answers from Tulsa on

I don't have any ped. specialists in our town, but some come in once a month to the hospital. They are not listed in the phone book, but the pediatrician knows how to schedule it.
I have had both tests and it is nasty. I would do the endoscopy if possible.

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